1772: The Symphony Laboratory

Available for 36 days

1772, Esterháza. In a remote palace deep in the Hungarian marshes, Joseph Haydn works under the patronage of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. Cut off from the wider musical world, he writes at speed for a resident orchestra, shaping and testing ideas. Historian Simon Schama joins Gillian Moore to explore how Haydn expands the possibilities of a developing orchestral form: the symphony. And how his career moves from court isolation to international recognition on the commercial concert stage. Gillian Moore is joined by a roster of distinguished historians for this major new BBC Radio 3 series, charting a course through 1000 years of classical music history. For Episodes 17 - 24, Gillian welcomes Simon Schama to help her explore the fascinating stories and rich sound worlds of the Classical and early Romantic eras. Producer: Zerlina Vulliamy Academic Consultant: Professor Laura Tunbridge, University of Oxford Story Consultant: Kate Leys Series Editor for BBC Audio: Emma Harding Key Changes theme tune composed by Joseph Howard and performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Kerem Hasan. MUSIC DETAILS Haydn, Symphony No.45 in F-sharp minor “Farewell” i. Allegro Assai Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, Conductor Adam Fischer Haydn, Symphony No.45 in F-sharp minor “Farewell” iv. Finale BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Conductor Kerem Hasan Haydn, Symphony No.94 in G Major “Surprise”, ii. Andante BBC Symphony Orchestra, Conductor David Robertson Prokofiev, Symphony No 1 in D Major “Classical” i.Allegro BBC Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Sakari Oramo Haydn, String Quartet in F Minor, Op 20 No.5, Adagio Chaos Quartet Marianna Martines, Dixit Dominus Psalm 110 (vi. Gloria Patri) Salzburger Hofmusik, Conductor Wolfgang Brunner Haydn Symphony No. 104 in D Major “London” iv. Finale BBC Symphony Orchestra Conductor Leonard Slatkin To listen to this programme using most smart speakers, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Key Changes."